Skylight



Nov. 4 1924.

H. B. HAWES SKYLIGHT Filed June 1 1923 2 srmxvsne'ez 1 I N VEN TOR. ffizmzda Jaws ATTORNEYS.

H. B. HAWE Q SKYLIGHT 2' Sheets-$heet 3 Filed June 16, 192:5

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII A TTORN E YS. Oi/t JQJQW m 4 Patented Nov. 4t, 1924.

UNETFAD STATES HAROLD B. I-IAWES, OF BRIDGEPORT, CGNNECTICUT.

SKYLIGHT.

Application filed June 16, 1923.

Z '0 a! whomz'f may concern Be it known that HAROLD B. HAWEs, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Bridgeport, in the county of Fairfield and State of Connecticut, has invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skylights, of which the following is aspecification.

The present invention relates to improvements in skylight structures, and has for an object to provide a structure of this character, which will be weather-proof, and adapted to compensate for the different co-efficients of expansion of the materials going into the construction in a manner to maintain the same in proper relation, without danger of distortion or breakage under extremes of heat and cold.

A further object is to provide a structure of great strength and which may be assembled with facility.

A further object is to provide supporting means for the glass panels, with which the surface of the glass will not come into contact with the metal parts, and further to provide improved weather proof cushioning means for engagement with the glass, which will not shift in position or be subject to rapid deterioration.

Another object is to provide improved clip means for supporting the superimposed glass panels at their lower edges.

Another object is to provide a structure adapted to effectually dispose of water formed by condensation upon the under side of the glass panels, so that there will be no possibility of its dropping into the building and thereby causing property damage and annoyance to employees.

With the above and other objects in view an embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanaying drawings, and this embodiment will be hereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing a skylight structure according to the present invention, being partly in section and with the parts broken away;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the lower end of one of the channel rafters and showing the flashing and the panel supporting clip in separated relation;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the co-operating structure between the upper and Serial No. 645,810.

lower glass panels, the parts being shown partly in section and in separated relation;

Fig. 4 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the structure, with parts broken away;

Fig. 5 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 55 of Fig. 4L

Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 66 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 7 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken along line 7-7 of Fig. 4.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, an inclined rafter 10 in the form of a channel is supported at its ends upon the curbs 11 and 12, being connected thereto by continuous clips 13 bent downwardly at their rear edges as at 14 and secured to the curbs by screws 15, and being provided at each side of the channel 10 with a struck-up lug 16 secured to the sides of the channel by screws 17.

At the forward end of the channel rafter 10 there is secured an anchor lug 18 having a tapped hole 19 in its forward face and provided at its sides with trunnion projections 20 engaged in apertures 21 in the side of the channel and thereby secured thereto.

The channel rafter is furthermore provided in spaced relation with a series of inverted U-shaped stirrups 22, the stirrups at the lower half-portion being relatively low while those at the upper half-portion are relatively higher, as shown by comparison in Figs. 6 and 7, for the purpose of respectively supporting the lower glass panels and the overlapping upper panels as will hereinafter more fully appear. These stirrups are secured to the channels by pressing out bosses 23 at each side which are engaged in apertures 2 f in the sides of the channel in a similar manner to the attachment of the auchor block 18. This structure is of great strength, may be assembled with facility by bending the sides of the channels into relation with the anchor and stirrups so that the trunnions and bosses engage the apertures, and is free of any parts which may become loose or disengaged.

In the upper end of each stirrup there is provided a non-circular hole 25 inwhich is slidably engaged the reduced non-circular shank 26 of a cylindrical post 27 seated at its lower shouldered end upon the upper side f the stirrup, and provided at its upper-- lln shouldered end with a reduced threaded extension 28. At its lower end the shank 26 is provided with a slot 29 engaged by a slip washer 30 and between this washer and the under side of the stirrup a spring 31 is provided on the shank, and permits upward yielding of the boss.

A felted packing strip upon which the marginal end portions of the glass panels rest, is supported upon the stirrups and comprises a metal strip 32 having its longitudinal edge portion bent into channel form as at 33, and securing the longitudinal edges of a felt strip 34 provided at the upper side of the metal strip, the packing strip being provided at suitable spaced points with apertures 35 (Fig. 4) for engagement with the posts 27. The channel portions 33 are within and spaced from the upper edges of the channel rafter, so that water of condensation collecting on the glass panels is guided by said channel portions into the trough of the channel aperture.

The glass panels 36 which extend between the several channel rafters of the sky-light structure rest at their marginal portlons on the felt strip 34, the lower panels which rest upon the relatively lower stirrups 22 (Fig. 6) extending at their upper portion in spaced relation beneath the overlapping lower portions of the upper panels, which rest upon the relatively higher stirrups 22 A cap strip 37 having longitudinal and out- 'wardly flared side portions 38 and a central longitudinal crown portion 39 retains the glass panels in place, the crown portion 39 being provided at suitable spaced points with apertures 40 which engage the threaded extensions 28 of the posts 27 so that said crown portion rests upon the upper shouldered ends of the posts and is secured in place by knurled interiorly threaded heads 41 screwed upon said extensions 28. A felted strip 42 is provided beneath and housed within the cap strip to tightly engage upon the upper surface of the glass panels being provided at suitably spaced points with apertures 43 for engagement with the posts 27. The posts 27 are so proportioned that when the cap is in place and the head 41 tightly screwed down the posts are slightly raised against the tension of the springs 31 and thereby a tight but yieldable relation is maintained between the panels and supporting structure to compensate for expansion 01' contraction due to change in temperature. The outwardly flared side portions 38 of the cap strip permit the same to yield slightly and thereby maintain engage ment with the upper surfaces of the panels.

At the lower end of the lower panels and at the forward side of the curb 11 there is provided a sheet metal flashing member 44 having an inwardlyofi-set. apron 45 engaging the front face of the curb and providing a longitudinal trough 46 embracing the lower end of the channel rafter, and provided centrally of such ends with a weephole 47 for the escape of the water of condensation which, collecting on the surface of the panels, flows over the edges 33 of the felt packing strips and into the channels and thus downwardly to the trough 46 where the water escapes through the weep-hole. The upper marginal portion of the flashing is bent inwardly as at 48 and its edge bent inwardly upon itself, as at 49, to secure a longitudinal felt strip 50 resting upon said portion 48 and engaging the under side of the glass panels to provide a tight closure at the lower edges. The flashing is provided with aperture 51 registering with threaded hole 19 of the anchor block 18 and is secured to the said block by means of a clip 52 having a screw engaging aperture .53.

and a screw 54 engaged in the said hole 19 of the anchor block. The clip is bent outwardly and upwardly as at 55 to form an angular support for the lower ends of the glass panels, the upright portion closing the space between the panels and its upper edge conforming to and engaging the under surface of the cap strip 37. v

The upper glass panels are supported at their lower ends by means of a clip 56 of flat sheet metal having its upper end slightly offset as at 57 and provided with a slot 58 engaging over the post 27 ofthe lowermost supporting stirrup 22 of the upper panels, and resting upon the felt strip 34. The lower end of the clip extends into abutting relation with the upper end of a cap strip 37 of the lower glass panel and is bent upwardly as at 59 to engage the forward edges of the upper glass panels and close the space between them, the upper edge of the portion 59 being shaped to conform to and engaging the under surface of the cap strip 37 of the upper panels. I

A lug 60 is struck up from the clip and supports a longitudinal felting strip comprising a metal strip 61 bent upon itself into clamping relation with a felt strip 62, and which serves to tightly close the space between the overlapping end portion of the upper and lower glass panels.

A longitudinal sheet metal top flashing 63 is provided at the upper end of the structure, its lower edge being bent downwardly as at 64 into engagement with the upper glass panels and recessed as at 65 to embrace the cap 37, while its upper edge is provided with a locking flange 66. The flashing is secured by a bolt 67 having its lower headed end engaged in anaperture 68 of the strip 32 and secured by a nut 69 while its upper end is engaged in an apertured dome 7 0 formed in the flashing and secured bya nut 71. A longitudinalfelting strip the is interposed beneath the flashing to provide a weather-tight closure with the glass and comprises a metal strip 7 2 having its longitudinal edges bent over upon the upper and lower sides as at 73 and 74 to secure felt strips 7 5 and 76, and having apertures 77 in which the bolt 67 is engaged.

do not contact with each other or with the metal supporting structure; and the relation between the supporting structure and the panels is such as to effect compensation for expansion and contraction due to change of temperature.

The structure is furthermore designed to dispose of water formed by condensation upon the under surface of the glass panels so that there is no danger of such water dropping into the building and thereby causing property damage and annoyance to employees.

The water flows along the panels into relation with the channel rafters and along the channel rafters to the moisture receiving trough of the forward flashing, and from which it is carried off through the weepholes therein.

I have illustrated and described a preferred and satisfactory embodiment of the invention, but it is obvious that changes may be made therein within the spirit and scope thereof, as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A skylight structure comprising a channel rafter forming a trough, a plurality of spaced supporting means mounted in said rafter, an anchor block secured at the outer end of said rafter, a cushioning strip resting on said supporting means, glass panels resting at their marginal portions upon said cushioning strip, a retaining strip engaging said panels at their upper sides, means for securing said retaining strip to said supporting means, and a retaining clip removably secured to said anchor block and engaging and supporting said glass panels at their outer ends.

2. A skylight structure comprising a channel rafter forming a trough, a plurality of spaced supporting means mounted in said rafter, an anchor block secured at the outer end of said rafter, a cushioning strip resting on said supporting means, glass panels resting at their marginal portions upon said cushioning strip, a retaining strip engaging said panels at their upper sides and projecting forwardly of their outer ends, means for securing said retaining strip to said supporting means, and a retaining clip removably secured to said anchor block, engaging and supporting said glass panels attheir outer ends and projecting upwardly into engagement with the projecting portion of said retaining strip.

3. A skylight structure comprising a channel rafter forming a trough, a plurality of spaced supporting means mounted in said rafter, an anchor block secured at the outer end of aid rafter, a cushioning strip resting on said supporting means, glass panels resting at their marginal portions upon said cushioning strip, a retaining strip engaging said panels at their upper sides, means for securing said retaining strip to said supporting means, a flashing member covering the forward end of said rafter and provided at its upper edge with cushioning means engaging the under side of said glass panel, and a retaining clip removably secured to said anchor block securing said flashing member thereto and engaging and supporting said. glass panels at their outer ends.

l. A skylight structure comprising a channel rafter forming a trough, a plurality of spaced supporting means mounted in said rafter, an anchor block secured at the outer end of said rafter, a cushioning strip resting on said supporting means, glass panels resting at their marginal portions upon said cushioning strip, a retaining strip engaging said panels at their upper sides, means for securing said retaining strip to said supporting means, a flashing member covering the forward end of said rafter and having its upper longitudinal portion bent inwardly beneath said glass panels and bent forwardly upon itself to form a clamping flange, and a cushioning strip secured upon said inwardly bent portion of said clamping flange and engaging the under sides of said glass panels, and a retaining clip removably secured to said anchor block securing said flashing member thereto and engaging and supporting said glass panels at their outer ends.

5. In a skylight structure, a channel rafter forming a trough and an anchor block at the outer end of said rafter having integral projecting bosses at each side, said rafter having apertures in its sides engaged by said bosses to secure and support said anchor block.

6. A skylight structure comprising an inclined channel rafter forming a trough, a plurality of spaced supporting means mounted in said rafter, an upwardly projecting post on each of said supporting means, said means in the upper portion of said rafter being relatively higher than said means in the lower portions and adapted to respectively support upper and lower glass panels, cushioning strips supported on said supporting means and having apertures engaging said posts, upper and lower glass panels resting on said cushioning strips at lit) each side of said posts, the upper panels overlapping the lower panels, retaining strips engaging said panels at their upper sides and having apertures engaging said posts, means engaging said posts for securing said retaining strips, and a retaining clip for said upper panels comprising a metal strip having an aperture at one end engaging the post 01": the lowermost supporting means of said upper panels and bent upwardly at its other end to engage and support said upper glass panel at their lower ends, a lug on said clip in spaced relation to its bent end, and a cushioning strip disposed between the overlapping portions vof said glass panels and supported by said lug.

7. A skylight structure comprising a channel rafter forming a trough, a plurality of spaced supporting means mounted in said rafters, a cushioning strip resting .on said supporting means, glass panels rest ng at their marginal portions upon said cushion- 'ing strip, a retaining strip engaging said 

